Morphological Variability and Disease Resistance Levels in Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton.) Field Gene Bank Accessions

Cardamom, a highly valued spice, faces major challenges in cultivation due to diseases like leaf blight and rhizome rot, which lead to significant yield losses. The study aims to determine the morphological variation and disease resistance level in cardamom. This study was carried out to characterize 80 field gene bank accessions of cardamom, sourced from diverse ecotypes in South India, based on their morphological traits, yield potential and resistance to biotic stresses. The accessions were evaluated for two years (2020-21 and 2021-22) under field conditions. Significant variation was observed in traits such as plant height, bearing tillers, panicle count and capsule yield, indicating substantial genetic diversity within the germplasm. The highest plant height (333.70 cm), number of bearing tillers (33.53), number of panicles (37.41), maximum capsules (293.60) and highest fresh capsule yield (1085.50 g) were recorded in accession FGB203. Multivariate cluster analysis grouped the accessions into three clusters, with the second cluster showing the most desirable agronomic traits. Resistance screening for leaf blight and rhizome rot revealed that 27 genotypes exhibited resistance to leaf blight, but all accessions were susceptible to rhizome rot. The findings highlight the potential for selecting superior genotypes with desirable morphological traits and disease resistance, providing valuable genetic resources for breeding programs aimed at enhancing cardamom yield and sustainability.